Analaitivu villagers complain of police harassment

Apr 29 (TN) The Kayts Police in Jaffna district has up to now sent notices to about 35 residents of Analaitivu village to appear in the police station in regard to the alleged torching of a camp of the EPDP on April 11.
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UNFA denies hand in attacks

Apr 29 (TP) The governing UPFA has denied allegations that it was involved in the recent spree of attacks, protests and posters written in obscene language targeting Buddhist monks and temples in different parts of the country.
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Sinhalese politicians still not understood Tamils' aspirations

Apr 29 (AT) The leader of the parliamentary group of the proxy party of the LTTE, the TNA said in Trincomalee that the recent election of the Speaker of the Parliament showed that Sinhalese politicians have not understood the aspirations of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka, an LTTE official website reported.
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Election Pettition: LTTE Prevented Free and Fair Elections In Jaffna

Apr 29 (AT) The EPDP filed the first election petition in the Court Appeal following the last general election seeking an order to declare that the 12 seats won by the, ITAK - the party on which proxy parliamentarians of the LTTE - TNA null and void and cancel their elections as Members of Parliament.
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Clashes in Sri Lanka

Apr 29 (Hindu) At least one person was killed and several were injured in central plantation districts following inter-ethnic clashes tonight. The unrest, which started with a minor skirmish this morning between autorickshaw drivers and townsfolk in Kandapola town, escalated into a clash late in the night.
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UNHCR IG calls for renewed focus on IDPs

Apr 29 (TN) UNHCR Inspector General Dennis McNamara Thursday called for renewed attention to the plight of Sri Lanka's hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. "It also requires greater investment to ensure that conditions in return areas are conducive to a safe and dignified return
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‘Need to know Colombo’s stand on resuming talks’ – Thamilchelvan

Apr 29 (TN) Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, the head of the LTTE’ political division, said Thursday that the Tigers would state their stand on for resuming the island’s stalled peace process only after Norwegians peace facilitators first find out and apprise them of Colombo’s position regarding the basis for restarting negotiations.
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LTTE men with handcuffs arrested

Apr 29 (SLA) Three LTTE cadres in possession of a pair of handcuffs were taken into Police custody from the general area of MURUNKAN on 28 April 2004 when the Police checked their van (58-8583) on suspicion.
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Clashes kill two and injure several others

Apr 29 (SLA) A clash that erupted between two fractions in the general area of KANDAPOLA, NUWARA-ELIYA on 28 April 2004 around 8.00 p.m. compelled the Police to summon troops for assistance as the tension swelled after two people died and several others received injuries.
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Commander bids farewell to the outgoing envoy

Apr 29 (SLA) Lt. Colonel C. P. G Martin, new Defence Attache of the British High Commission with his outgoing counterpart Lt. Colonel M. H. D. W.Weldon called on the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen L. P Balagalle at Army Headquarters April 27, 2004.
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A committee to investigate fraud and corruption

Apr 29 (PSL) President Chandrika Kumaratunga will shortly appoint a Committee with special powers to investigate into frauds and corruption. The new Committee will function directly under the President.
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Sri Lanka committed to One China Policy- FM Kadirgamar

Apr 29 (PRIU) Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar led the Sri Lankan delegation to the 60th session of Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific held in Shanghai to commemorate the founding of ESCAP then known as ESCAFE, in that city in 1947.
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President orders immediate police promotions

Apr 29 (Rupavahini) President Chandrika Kumaratunge has instructed the authorities concerned to immediately grant police officers the promotions that had been suspended for a long time.
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Curfew in hill town, three Tamils shot dead

Apr 29 (TN) Three Tamils were killed and four were wounded when Police opened fire on crowds in Kandapola, 16 kilomtres from Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka's main hill country town and holiday resort, on Wednesday night.
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Sri Lanka confident Murali can go ahead with controversial ball

Apr 29 (AFP) Sri Lanka's cricket authorities are confident ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will be allowed to bowl using his controversial new delivery after receiving a report on his bowling action.
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UN agency says Sri Lanka risks losing aid over refugee issue

Apr 29 (AFP) The United Nations refugees agency said Thursday Sri Lanka risked losing international financial support if it did not pay more attention to resettling nearly 400,000 internally displaced people.
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Sri Lankan army tightens security in Eastern Sri Lanka

Apr 29 (NW) Defence authorities in the East have decided to close all eight entry/exit points connecting government-held areas and uncleared areas situated in the eastern region for six hours during the night.
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Helath sector to go on "Sick Leave' again

Apr 29 (NW) The health sector is likely to be disrupted again with unions set to take action over their long standing salary dispute with the Provincial Councils. The officials said they had waited for two and half months for the authorities to settle the non-payment of new salary scales to provincial health staff.
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Politician Monks need bookies banned

Apr 29 (NW) The JVP-affiliated National Bhikku Front yesterday urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga to take immediate action to ban betting centres. In a letter addressed to President Kumaratunga, the NBF said that betting and gambling were against Sri Lanka's culture but
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New Sri Lanka FM briefs India

Apr 29 (BBC) Foreign minister is meeting Indian leaders in the first high-level exchange between the two neighbours after the recent change of government in Colombo. Lakshman Kadirgamar is expected to brief Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha about the new government's initiatives in reviving the stalled peace talks with the Tamil rebels.
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LTTE loyalist Bishop Rayapu warns government about Karuna

Apr 29 (G2L) Well known LTTE loyalist and Roman Catholic Bishop for Mannar Rayappu Joseph warned the Sri Lanka government that they would upset the “peace process” in Sri Lanka by supporting the Karuna faction against the Tamil Tigers, reports from Madhu said.
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UNHCR urges fresh bid to help displaced

Apr 29 (Reuters) The U.N. refugee agency urged the government and rebels on Thursday to renew efforts to help hundreds of thousands of people displaced by decades of civil war. "There needs to be a renewed focus on resolving this long-standing humanitarian problem,"
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Shooting Stars

Apr 29 (LBO) The economy, politics and human life itself is in for harder times predict astrologers, as a lunar eclipse, two meteor sightings and a meteor shower coincide. The unique astro combination was last seen in 1911, set off the World War I. This year, it takes place next Monday.
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Smoke Circles

Apr 29 (LBO) A stronger crackdown on illegal bootlegs and counterfeits raked in an added Rs. 450 mn into the Treasury as tobacco excise taxes in the first quarter this year. Sales of illegal and counterfeit cigarettes dropped 20 percent over last year,
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LTTE told of moves to resume peace process

Apr 29 (IANS) Tamil Tiger rebels have been officially told that the new Sri Lankan government plans to revive the stalled Norway-backed peace process. The state-run SLBC said that Norwegian peace facilitators had conveyed to the Tamil Tiger rebels' peace secretariat the government's wish to re-start the peace process with the LTTE.
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Peace or pieces?

Apr 29 (BT) Will there ever be a long-lasting peace or pieces in Sri Lanka? The slaying of seven guerrillas in a daring ambush by unidentified gunmen in the east has risked imperiling the February 2002 cease-fire agreement between the rebel Tigers and the government brokered by Norway.
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Fatal riot in central Sri Lanka

Apr 29 (BBC) Police in central Sri Lanka have opened fire to try to break up rioting sparked by tension between local Tamil and Sinhalese communities. At least two people have been killed - the cause of their deaths is not clear.
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Sri Lanka's Tea Region under curfew after ethnic riot

Apr 29 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's central tea-growing region was tense on Thursday as police imposed a curfew on the area for a second night after shooting dead two men to quell an ethnic riot.
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Newly elected monks in parliamentary storm

Apr 29 (OW) A series of attacks on Buddhist temples and the intimidation of monks in Parliament, allegedly by a ruling hardline leftist party in Sri Lanka, has sparked fears among the monks, who entered the political arena in this month's elections.
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New Sri Lanka government in talks with India ahead of negotiations

Apr 29 (AFP) Sri Lanka's new government held its first talks with neighbouring India ahead of plans to revive stalled peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels. Lakshman Kadirgamar met Indian leaders on a brief visit to New Delhi before Norwegian peace brokers begin a trip to Sri Lanka at the weekend.
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Suspects in Analaitivu EPDP camp fire allowed bail

Apr 30 (TN) The Kayts Magistrate, Mr.A.Premashankar, Thursday released 22 residents of Analaitivu in the Jaffna district, arrested by the police in connection with the torching of a camp of the EPDP in the village on April 11th, on cash bail with two sureties, legal sources said.
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Apr 30 (TN) Dr. Rohan Jayasinghe, a New York, U.S.-based interventional cardiologist of Sri Lankan origin, on Thursday presented what is said to be the world’s first artificial mitral heart valve that can be delivered to and implanted in the heart through a catheter inserted through a blood vessel in the groin,
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Miserly Murali completes the whitewash

Apr 30 (CI) Sri Lanka, despite some periods of uninspired cricket, completed a predictable clean sweep of the one-day series when they beat a gallant young Zimbabwe team by 25 runs at Harare Sports Club.
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Sri Lankan deputy chief of mission passes-away in Washington

Apr 30 (SLE) Ambassador Janaka Bandara Nakkawita, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC, passed away on April 27, 2004 following a brief illness. He was appointed the Deputy Chief of Mission to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in April 2003.
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Support Sri Lankan glove factory workers

Apr 30 (NS) Please find below a request for action in a case of union repression at a Sri Lankan factory producing gloves for North American and European brands. Union members have been facing ongoing harassment, demotion and dismissal in response to their organizing efforts.
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UPFA will not accept JHU as an ally - Anura

Apr 30 (TN) Mr.Anura Bandaranaike, Minister of Investment Promotion and Tourism in the UPFA government, said Thursday that the UPFA would not form a coalition with the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), saying that his party could not accept the JHU's policies, according to media sources.
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Nalin's Chandrika

Apr 30 (IL) In a hard-hitting article in Sunday Diviana Dr Nalin De Silva of Jatika Chintanya Think Tank has criticised the shameless attempt of the President Chandrika Kumartunga to divert the debate on constitutional reforms towards federalism. She is still following the policies of Maha Jana Party.
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African Roots

Apr 30 (LBO) The Sri Lankan business community will take lessons from its South African counterparts on how the sector can contribute towards national economic growth while improving social standards. A 15-member business delegation will visit South Africa on May 1st on a study tour to examine the South African Business Trust.
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In Limbo

Apr 30 (LBO) A second US$ 30 mn loan tranche from the ADB for the energy sector is in the balance if power sector reforms are shelved, with a clear policy on the direction of reform still in limbo.
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Missing Dentures

Apr 30 (LBO) Sri Lanka lacks ‘sufficient organised public outrage to bring about any meaningful changes,’ say civil advocacy groups, about the abuse of public property during the April elections.
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Taxing Times

Apr 30 (LBO) With total State revenue falling by around 18 percent last year, the Asian Development Bank asked the government to pay closer attention to closing tax loopholes and streamline its tariff policies.
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SLA restricts night traffic through entry points in Batticaloa

Apr 30 (TN) The Sri Lanka Army on Thursday introduced new rules to restrict traffic at night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. through the eight entry points in the Batticaloa district through which the public can pass between the LTTE-controlled areas and the SLA-controlled areas in the district,
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LTTE abduction attempt fails but Police arrest abductee

Apr 30 (SLA) An LTTE leader responsible for the organization’s finance has made an abortive attempt to abduct a civilian from the general area at the MUHAMALAI Entry/Exit point on 29 April 2004 around 10.45 a.m.
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Accidental explosion injures cultivators

Apr 30 (SLA) An accidental explosion of an old Anti-Personnel Mine in the general area of ARIYALAI, JAFFNA on 29 April 2004 around 11.45 a.m. caused injuries to three civilians. The accident occurred when one of their mammoties struck a buried Anti Personnel Mine
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Normalcy fast returning to KANDAPOLA

Apr 30 (SLA) Normalcy is fast returning to trouble-torn general areas of KANDAPOLA in NUWARA-ELIYA, though the curfew enforced on Wednesday (28) continues to remain in affected areas in an attempt to restore law and order.
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Mahanayakes commend the JVP for their initiatives to rebuild the country

Apr 30 (Rupavahini) The Mahanayakes of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters say that the JVP has been given a better opportunity to re-build the nation. They claim that the JVP has set several new political examples.
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Sri Lanka annual inflation rate at 3.7 pct in April

Apr 30 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's inflation rate measured on a 12-month moving average fell to 3.7 percent in April, from 3.9 percent the previous month, the government's Census and Statistics Department said on Friday.
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